Mr Candle's A FRAUD!
by MasterDuelistMichael
Summary: Marco finds out that Career Day at Echo Creek was all a setup to get Tom and Star back together. How far will Marco and Tom go to hook the Mewnian princess? Survey Says...CARD GAMES IN THE UNDERWORLD! Warning: If you haven't seen 'Mr. Candle Cares', DO NOT READ THIS?
1. Chapter 1

**Just watched the new 'Star vs. The Forces of Evil' and I was blown away! For my first work for this series, I'm obviously going to base it off the newest episode. Warning: May contain spoilers, so if you haven't seen 'Mr. Candle Cares', don't proceed any further. ROLL IT!**

* * *

"Star and I have recently become smooch buddies..."

Mr. Candle did a spit take at that revelation.

"On the lips." Marco had just dropped the bombshell of the school year - that he and Star had hooked up. That's when demon ex-boyfriend Tom decided to come in and wreck the place.

"AHA! I knew you weren't a real guidance counselor!" Marco beamed. Within mere seconds, he was transported to the underworld and strapped to a Catherine Wheel.

"Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable. First you sabotage the Blood Moon Ball, now this!", Tom said to himself. "This just won't do! What to do with the likes of you?" he questioned. Then he got an idea. "I'll just hold you for ransom and torture you until you tell the truth about Star or until she agrees to be my girl again," he plotted as he started the wheel.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Echo Creek Academy...

"Have you seen Marco, Jackie?" Star asked Marco's crush. "Last I heard, he was in Mr. Candle's office. Then, all of a sudden, some strange horned freak took him away in a curtain of fire."

'Strange horned freak?' Star thought to herself..."Tom. He's in the Underworld. I gotta go find Marco," Star told herself. "First, I'll need a disguise."

She'd be needing a disguise because Tom would recognize her and her motives right away. She'd also need a weapon of some sort. So, before she went to the Underworld, she shaved some of her hair off, dyed it purple and pretty much changed her entire look. She took down a battle ax and declared "Hang on, Marco...I'm coming for you!"

* * *

Back in Tom's lair, Marco was on the verge of hurling while being spun on Tom's Catherine wheel.

"STOP! I knew you were listening! Star and I never made out! I only said that to get your goat!" Marco shouted. Tom snapped to stop the wheel. "YOU LIED TO ME?!"

"Well, you lied to Star! You made her think all she was good for was being Queen," Marco said as Tom's eyes dimmed. "Dude, just take me home!"

Tom snapped his fingers, releasing Marco from the wheel into the water. "I can't do that. You know too much. Now I'll have to destroy you."

"WHAT?! THAT'S NOT FAIR!" Marco shouted. Tom then used his demon powers to conjure Duel Disks on his and Marco's right arms. "Alright, fine. Duel to the death. Defeat me and I'll return you to Star. If I happen to win, then I'll destroy you."

"I gotta warn you, I'm not only a karate master, I'm also Echo Creek's Duel Monsters champion!" Marco warned as he and Tom drew their hands.

"This will be just a little different than the duels you play at home. First, we have to choose a card to be our Deck Master," Tom explained.

Marco removed his deck from the Duel Disk and instantly found a monster to use for his Deck Master. "Say hello to my good friend...KAISER SEA HORSE!" he declared as a humanoid sea horse appeared next to him.

"I've waited a long time for this...TIME TO LOSE IT ALL, DIAZ!"

 **" _LET'S DUEL!_ "**

 **Marco: 8000**

 **Tom: 8000**

"Non-demons get to go first!" Marco declared as he drew. "I'll start with Giant Germ in Defense Mode!"

 **ATK: 1000**

 **DEF: 100**

"Then I'll position two cards face-down. Your move, Tom."

"Let the games commence," Tom said as he drew. "I'll summon Chiron the Mage in Attack Mode!" he declared as a centaur-like monster appeared in front of him.

 **ATK: 1800**

 **DEF: 1000**

"Now for his special ability! I can look at one of you face-down cards and instantly destroy it! So let's see what you tried to hide on the right!"

Marco's right side face-down card was revealed to be his trusty Crush Card Virus. It was then destroyed thanks to Chiron's effect. "Now that Crush Card's out of the way, I'm free to attack your Germ! Chiron, strike down Marco's Germ!" Tom shouted as Chiron thrusted his scepter at Giant Germ, destroying it. However, another Giant Germ took its place.

"GIANT GERM, RETURN! It's back and thanks to its special effect, you lose 500 Life Points!"

 **Tom: 7500**

"I'm not worried. Your monster's weak."

"That may be, but whoever said I was using my Germ to attack you? I'll sacrifice my Germ to summon VAMPIRE LORD!"

 **ATK: 2000**

 **DEF: 1500**

"Vampire Lord, ATTACK HIS MAGE NOW!"

Vampire Lord launched a swarm of bats from his cape, which covered Chiron the Mage, cloaking him in black before exploding.

 **Tom: 7300**

"Now for Vampire Lord's effect! Whenever he deals damage to you, you have to send a card from your deck to your Graveyard! So say goodbye to another monster! At this rate, your deck will be empty in no time!" Marco said with a smug smile on his face.

"I highly doubt it. Your Vampire Lord's about to take his own trip to the Card Graveyard!" Tom beamed as he drew his card.

"But you have no monsters in play!"

Tom wasn't fazed. "I didn't say anything about using any monsters. I have this - the Spell Card FISSURE! So long, Bat Boy!"

The ground crumbled under Marco's Vampire Lord, destroying him. "Now that your field's clear, it's time I started working on your Life Points! I play the Spell Card OOKAZI! This deals 800 points of damage right to you!"

 **Marco: 7200**

"Next, I summon AERIS to the field!"

An ancient Greek warrior soon took the field in front of Tom.

 **ATK: 1800**

 **DEF: 1400**

"Aeris, ATTACK MARCO DIRECTLY!"

Aeris then charged in and stabbed Marco with his spear, knocking him back.

 **Marco: 5400**

"With your attack...YOU'VE ACTIVATED MY TRAP! REVENGE SACRIFICE!"

"NO!"

Tom's attack only set off one of Marco's Traps!

"This Trap allows me to sacrifice the monster you just attacked me with! Consider your Aeris dismissed! Now, meet my RUDE KAISER!"

 **ATK: 1800**

 **DEF: 1600**

Tom grunted. He just lost his only monster thanks to Marco's Trap Card! "I'll play a card face-down and end my turn." It was back to Marco. After he drew his card, his Graveyard glowed.

"Time to bring back an old friend! You remember my Vampire Lord, don't you?" Marco asked, causing Tom to cringe. "You look scared. Don't you demons know about vampires? THEY CAN'T BE DESTROYED! My Vampire Lord possesses the power of immortality! Whenever its destroyed by a card effect, it returns!" he explained. "Next, I summon my Slate Warrior!"

 **ATK: 1900**

 **DEF: 400**

"HOLD ON! I reveal my Earthshaker card! Here's how it works - you have 2 monsters, a WIND monster and a DARK monster. One of those monsters is about to go directly to the Card Graveyard. But which one? That's up to you do decide!"

"I'll choose my creature of darkness!" Marco shouted as his Vampire Lord vanished. "Now to work on your Life Points! Slate Warrior, ATTACK WITH GRAVITY PUNCH!"

Slate Warrior landed an uppercut on Tom, knocking him back.

 **Tom: 5300**

"Rude Kaiser, it's your turn! FOUR-ARM SLASH!"

 **Tom: 3500**

Back to Tom now and with Marco closing in on him, he was in no position to be at a disadvantage. "I was thinking, Marco...perhaps you and I got off on the wrong foot. I think it's time we wash away our differences, and this should help - the Spell Card GIANT FLOOD!"

Tom inserted the card into his Duel Disk, causing a tidal wave to come crashing across the duel field...just as Star came bursting in.

"Oh my god! What's going on here?" Star asked. "Are you two dueling?"

"We are," Marco confirmed.

"What happened to all those monsters you duel with?"

"Flushed right out of the game."

"Now it's time I show Marco what my Deck Master can do!" Tom shouted.

"But you never picked a Deck Master!"

"Forgive me for being so rude, Diaz," Tom started as a huge boat rose from the flood waters. "Meet my Deck Master! SHINATO'S ARK!"

Star and Marco were surprised. Who picks a giant boat to be their Deck Master?

"That boat's his Deck Master?" Star asked, shocked.

"That's right, Starship. Now watch as my great Ark helps me sail away with everything, including you, Star!"

"You overlooked one thing, Tom. Your Giant Flood cleared not just the field, but our hands of all monsters! So if I draw a monster right now, you've got nothing to defend you!" Marco pointed out as he drew his card. "I summon my SPEAR DRAGON to the field! ATTACK MODE!"

 **ATK: 1900**

 **DEF: 0**

"Attack Tom directly with CYCLONE BLAST!"

Just as Marco's dragon launched its attack, however...

"Is that supposed to scare me? I can block its attack, no problem!"

"With what?"

"My Deck Master's ability, of course! Thanks to my Ark, I have access to every monster that was sent to the Graveyard and one of them will take the hit instead of me! Return to the field, RUDE KAISER!"

...Tom summoned back Marco's Rude Kaiser to take the hit!

"You may have blocked that attack, my my Spear Dragon still takes your Life Points thanks to his ability!"

 **Tom: 3200**

"I'm not concerned. I think it's time for a change of scenery, don't you agree?" Tom asked as he used his demon powers to dry up the flood and create a Triassic era scenery. "Welcome to the Dinosaur age."

'This can't be good! Tom can bend the Underworld to his will. Marco's gonna have to find a way to stop his power if he wants to defeat him,' Star thought.

"I'll summon out my GIANT REX!"

 **ATK: 2000**

 **DEF: 1200**

"Giant Rex, ATTACK!"

On command, Giant Rex charged in and slammed Marco's Spear Dragon, destroying it. "Lucky for you, your dragon was in Defense Mode, so your Life Points were spared..or so you thought. I play my SURPRISE ATTACK FROM BEYOND Spell! This lets my Rex attack again!" "

 **Marco: 3400**

"I end my turn."

"My move, then. I start with my Pot of Greed! This lets me draw twice!" Marco explained as he took his two cards. "I'll then use my CARD OF DEMISE! This lets me draw 5 new cards, so long as I discard my hand in 5 turns. Now to activate my Deck Master ability so I can summon out a powerful monster without a sacrifice! I summon out DIFFERENT DIMENSION DRAGON!"

 **ATK: 1400**

 **DEF: 1500**

"I'll then play 3 cards face-down and end my turn."

Tom drew his next card and got a cocky grin on his face. "Looks like this duel's about to end in my victory as I take the Multiverse by storm! I activate DEEPEST IMPACT! This destroys every monster in play and cuts our Life Points in half!"

A meteor shower soon began, destroying Giant Rex. However, thanks to the special ability of Marco's Different Dimension Dragon, he was spared since Deepest Impact doesn't target.

 **Tom: 1600**

 **Marco: 1700**

"History tells us that the age of the dinosaurs abruptly ended due to a meteor shower. Then the Earth cooled off and the Ice Age began. With my Ice Age Panic Spell Card, I can call on one of the period's most destructive forces - my LAST TUSK MAMMOTH!"

 **ATK: 800**

 **DEF: 1200**

"Tusk Mammoth, ATTACK HIS DRAGON!"

"Now why would he attack with a monster that's clearly weaker than mine?" Marco asked. It was Star that pieced it all together.

"MARCO! That Mammoth has a special effect! When it's destroyed, both players take the battle damage!" Star gasped. Upon hearing this, Marco got an idea. "I activate my RING OF DESTRUCTION! This stops your Mammoth cold!" Marco explained as the ring exploded, destroying Tusk Mammoth.

 **Tom: 800**

 **Marco: 900**

"Both players are down to their last bit of Life Points. I hope Marco can wipe Tom out first," Star said to herself. "COME ON, MARCO! WIN THIS ONE FOR ME!"

With Star's words spurring him on, there was no possible way Marco could lose this one! He had come too far to turn back now! "My move! I activate the Spell Card...CHAOS FORM!"

"WHAT?!"

"Allow me to explain - Chaos Form allows me to summon a powerful monster once I sacrifice a Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my hand! So, I'll sacrifice the Blue-Eyes I just drew to summon my newest monster...MEET BLUE-EYES CHAOS MAX DRAGON!"

 **ATK: 4000**

 **DEF: 0**

"Blue-Eyes...CHAOS MAX?"

"I've never seen THAT card in Marco's deck!" Star exclaimed.

"Consider this a message from Echo Creek Academy...YOU LOSE!"

"OH NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!"

"Blue-Eyes Chaos Max Dragon, attack Tom directly and wipe out the rest of his Life Points! Go, CHAOS WHITE LIGHTNING!"

Blue-Eyes Chaos Max launched a lightning strike from its gaping mouth right at Tom. He wanted to use the effect of Shinato's Ark to summon a monster and block the attack, but it wouldn't do any good. Chaos Max Dragon has an effect that would deal double damage to Tom even if his monster was on the defensive. No matter what he did, Tom would lose the duel on this attack. A DIRECT HIT! Blue-Eyes' attack knocked Tom to the floor, flat on his face, signifying his defeat.

 **Tom: 0**

 **Marco: WIN!**

* * *

With the duel ending in Marco's victory, Tom had to hold up his end of the bargain and take Star and Marco home.

"Star, you didn't have to change your look. But I'm glad you came all that way to find me," Marco told Star. "Now, I believe you have something to confess, Tom."

"I do. Star, I used Mr. Candle to try to get back together with you. It took Marco defeating me in Duel Monsters to realize I was wrong. All I wanted was to get you back, but I never stopped to consider what you wanted," Tom confessed. "I'm sorry."

Tom tried to apologize, but Star just punched him in the chest. "YOU TRICKED ME!" she scolded. "But it doesn't even matter...I'm still gonna be queen."

"That doesn't have to be such a bad thing, Star. You're gonna run Mewni how you want, no matter how destructive," Marco told his (hopefully) future queen before she conjured a Warnicorn and hugged him.

"Point, Marco," the demon pedicab carrier said. "Guess I should be going. By the way...I like the hair," Tom complimented Star as he made his exit.

"So...you guys are cool now?" Star asked.

"I guess so," Marco confirmed.

"Is he still dark and broody?"

"Totally. But he's not so bad."

* * *

 **Well, that's it for this one! I don't think this is too bad considering this is my first 'Star' work. I do have more in the pipeline, so stay tuned for that!**


	2. Alternate Ending!

**Well, I have another alternate ending for you! This one's for my story 'Mr. Candle's A FRAUD!' ROLL IT!**

"STOP! I knew you were listening! Star and I never made out! I only said that to get your goat!" Marco shouted. Tom snapped to stop the wheel. "YOU LIED TO ME?!"

"Well, you lied to Star! You made her think all she was good for was being Queen," Marco said as Tom's eyes dimmed. "Dude, just take me home!"

Tom snapped his fingers, releasing Marco from the wheel into the water. "I can't do that. You know too much. Now I'll have to destroy you."

"WHAT?! THAT'S NOT FAIR!" Marco shouted. Tom then used his demon powers to conjure Duel Disks on his and Marco's right arms. "Alright, fine. Duel to the death. Defeat me and I'll return you to Star. If I happen to win, then I'll destroy you."

"I gotta warn you, I'm not only a karate master, I'm also Echo Creek's Duel Monsters champion!" Marco warned as he and Tom drew their hands.

"This will be just a little different than the duels you play at home. First, we have to choose a card to be our Deck Master," Tom explained.

Marco removed his deck from the Duel Disk and instantly found a monster to use for his Deck Master. "Say hello to my good friend...KAISER SEA HORSE!" he declared as a humanoid sea horse appeared next to him.

"I've waited a long time for this...TIME TO LOSE IT ALL, DIAZ!"

 **"** ** _LET'S DUEL!_** **"**

 **Marco: 8000**

 **Tom: 8000**

"Non-demons get to go first!" Marco declared as he drew. "I'll start with Giant Germ in Defense Mode!"

 **ATK: 1000**

 **DEF: 100**

"Then I'll position two cards face-down. Your move, Tom."

"Let the games commence," Tom said as he drew. "I'll summon Chiron the Mage in Attack Mode!" he declared as a centaur-like monster appeared in front of him.

 **ATK: 1800**

 **DEF: 1000**

"Now for his special ability! I can look at one of you face-down cards and instantly destroy it! So let's see what you tried to hide on the right!"

Marco's right side face-down card was revealed to be his trusty Crush Card Virus. It was then destroyed thanks to Chiron's effect. "Now that Crush Card's out of the way, I'm free to attack your Germ! Chiron, strike down Marco's Germ!" Tom shouted as Chiron thrusted his scepter at Giant Germ, destroying it. However, another Giant Germ took its place.

"GIANT GERM, RETURN! It's back and thanks to its special effect, you lose 500 Life Points!"

 **Tom: 7500**

"I'm not worried. Your monster's weak."

"That may be, but whoever said I was using my Germ to attack you? I'll sacrifice my Germ to summon VAMPIRE LORD!"

 **ATK: 2000**

 **DEF: 1500**

"Vampire Lord, ATTACK HIS MAGE NOW!"

Vampire Lord launched a swarm of bats from his cape, which covered Chiron the Mage, cloaking him in black before exploding.

 **Tom: 7300**

"Now for Vampire Lord's effect! Whenever he deals damage to you, you have to send a card from your deck to your Graveyard! So say goodbye to another monster! At this rate, your deck will be empty in no time!" Marco said with a smug smile on his face.

"I highly doubt it. Your Vampire Lord's about to take his own trip to the Card Graveyard!" Tom beamed as he drew his card.

"But you have no monsters in play!"

Tom wasn't fazed. "I didn't say anything about using any monsters. I have this - the Spell Card FISSURE! So long, Bat Boy!"

The ground crumbled under Marco's Vampire Lord, destroying him. "Now that your field's clear, it's time I started working on your Life Points! I play the Spell Card OOKAZI! This deals 800 points of damage right to you!"

 **Marco: 7200**

"Next, I summon AERIS to the field!"

An ancient Greek warrior soon took the field in front of Tom.

 **ATK: 1800**

 **DEF: 1400**

"Aeris, ATTACK MARCO DIRECTLY!"

Aeris then charged in and stabbed Marco with his spear, knocking him back.

 **Marco: 5400**

"With your attack...YOU'VE ACTIVATED MY TRAP! REVENGE SACRIFICE!"

"NO!"

Tom's attack only set off one of Marco's Traps!

"This Trap allows me to sacrifice the monster you just attacked me with! Consider your Aeris dismissed! Now, meet my RUDE KAISER!"

 **ATK: 1800**

 **DEF: 1600**

Tom grunted. He just lost his only monster thanks to Marco's Trap Card! "I'll play a card face-down and end my turn." It was back to Marco. After he drew his card, his Graveyard glowed.

"Time to bring back an old friend! You remember my Vampire Lord, don't you?" Marco asked, causing Tom to cringe. "You look scared. Don't you demons know about vampires? THEY CAN'T BE DESTROYED! My Vampire Lord possesses the power of immortality! Whenever its destroyed by a card effect, it returns!" he explained. "Next, I summon my Slate Warrior!"

 **ATK: 1900**

 **DEF: 400**

"HOLD ON! I reveal my Earthshaker card! Here's how it works - you have 2 monsters, a WIND monster and a DARK monster. One of those monsters is about to go directly to the Card Graveyard. But which one? That's up to you do decide!"

"I'll choose my creature of darkness!" Marco shouted as his Vampire Lord vanished. "Now to work on your Life Points! Slate Warrior, ATTACK WITH GRAVITY PUNCH!"

Slate Warrior landed an uppercut on Tom, knocking him back.

 **Tom: 5300**

"Rude Kaiser, it's your turn! FOUR-ARM SLASH!"

 **Tom: 3500**

Back to Tom now and with Marco closing in on him, he was in no position to be at a disadvantage. "I was thinking, Marco...perhaps you and I got off on the wrong foot. I think it's time we wash away our differences, and this should help - the Spell Card GIANT FLOOD!"

Tom inserted the card into his Duel Disk, causing a tidal wave to come crashing across the duel field...just as Star came bursting in.

"Oh my god! What's going on here?" Star asked. "Are you two dueling?"

"We are," Marco confirmed.

"What happened to all those monsters you duel with?"

"Flushed right out of the game."

"Now it's time I show Marco what my Deck Master can do!" Tom shouted.

"But you never picked a Deck Master!"

"Forgive me for being so rude, Diaz," Tom started as a huge boat rose from the flood waters. "Meet my Deck Master! SHINATO'S ARK!"

Star and Marco were surprised. Who picks a giant boat to be their Deck Master?

"That boat's his Deck Master?" Star asked, shocked.

"That's right, Starship. Now watch as my great Ark helps me sail away with everything, including you, Star!"

"You overlooked one thing, Tom. Your Giant Flood cleared not just the field, but our hands of all monsters! So if I draw a monster right now, you've got nothing to defend you!" Marco pointed out as he drew his card. "I summon my SPEAR DRAGON to the field! ATTACK MODE!"

 **ATK: 1900**

 **DEF: 0**

"Attack Tom directly with CYCLONE BLAST!"

Just as Marco's dragon launched its attack, however...

"Is that supposed to scare me? I can block its attack, no problem!"

"With what?"

"My Deck Master's ability, of course! Thanks to my Ark, I have access to every monster that was sent to the Graveyard and one of them will take the hit instead of me! Return to the field, RUDE KAISER!"

...Tom summoned back Marco's Rude Kaiser to take the hit!

"You may have blocked that attack, my my Spear Dragon still takes your Life Points thanks to his ability!"

 **Tom: 3200**

"I'm not concerned. I think it's time for a change of scenery, don't you agree?" Tom asked as he used his demon powers to dry up the flood and create a Triassic era scenery. "Welcome to the Dinosaur age."

'This can't be good! Tom can bend the Underworld to his will. Marco's gonna have to find a way to stop his power if he wants to defeat him,' Star thought.

"I'll summon out my GIANT REX!"

 **ATK: 2000**

 **DEF: 1200**

"Giant Rex, ATTACK!"

On command, Giant Rex charged in and slammed Marco's Spear Dragon, destroying it. "Lucky for you, your dragon was in Defense Mode, so your Life Points were spared..or so you thought. I play my SURPRISE ATTACK FROM BEYOND Spell! This lets my Rex attack again!" "

 **Marco: 3400**

"I end my turn."

"My move, then. I start with my Pot of Greed! This lets me draw twice!" Marco explained as he took his two cards. "I'll then use my CARD OF DEMISE! This lets me draw 5 new cards, so long as I discard my hand in 5 turns. Now to activate my Deck Master ability so I can summon out a powerful monster without a sacrifice! I summon out DIFFERENT DIMENSION DRAGON!"

 **ATK: 1400**

 **DEF: 1500**

"I'll then play 3 cards face-down and end my turn."

Tom drew his next card and got a cocky grin on his face. "Looks like this duel's about to end in my victory as I take the Multiverse by storm! I activate DEEPEST IMPACT! This destroys every monster in play and cuts our Life Points in half!"

A meteor shower soon began, destroying Giant Rex. However, thanks to the special ability of Marco's Different Dimension Dragon, he was spared since Deepest Impact doesn't target.

 **Tom: 1600**

 **Marco: 1700**

"History tells us that the age of the dinosaurs abruptly ended due to a meteor shower. Then the Earth cooled off and the Ice Age began. With my Ice Age Panic Spell Card, I can call on one of the period's most destructive forces - my LAST TUSK MAMMOTH!"

 **ATK: 800**

 **DEF: 1200**

"Tusk Mammoth, ATTACK HIS DRAGON!"

"Now why would he attack with a monster that's clearly weaker than mine?" Marco asked. It was Star that pieced it all together.

"MARCO! That Mammoth has a special effect! When it's destroyed, both players take the battle damage!" Star gasped. Upon hearing this, Marco got an idea. "I activate my RING OF DESTRUCTION! This stops your Mammoth cold!" Marco explained as the ring exploded, destroying Tusk Mammoth.

 **Tom: 800**

 **Marco: 900**

"Both players are down to their last bit of Life Points. I hope Marco can wipe Tom out first," Star said to herself. "COME ON, MARCO! WIN THIS ONE FOR ME!"

With Star's words spurring him on, there was no possible way Marco could lose this one! He had come too far to turn back now! "My move! I'll discard my Thunder Dragon, where it will be absorbed by your Ark, but not before its special power gives me two more Dragons! Then, I'll fuse them with Polymerization to create...TWIN HEADED THUNDER DRAGON!"

 **ATK: 2800**

 **DEF: 2100**

"I'll use the effect of Shinato's Ark to bring back Giant Rex and my Stone Soldier in Defense Mode!" Tom declared as the two monsters appeared in front of him. However, Marco was one step ahead.

"Big mistake! I wanted you to summon those monsters so I can play THIS! The Trap Card - DRAGON'S RAGE! Now whenever a Dragon attacks a monster whose Defense Points are lower than that monster's Attack Points, the difference comes out of your Life Points! Different Dimension Dragon...ATTACK! Destroy his Giant Rex!"

Different Dimension Dragon launched a rainbow beam at Tom's Giant Rex, destroying it.

 **Tom: 600**

"Now it's time I ended this duel! TWIN-HEADED THUNDER DRAGON, DESTROY HIS STONE SOLDIER AND END THIS DUEL!"

Tom was not fazed, however. He snapped his fingers and in a flash, Star appeared in front of him, tied up.

"STAR!" Marco shouted.

"Now you've got a choice to make, Diaz - surrender this duel and let me take Star back...or continue with your final attack and risk losing Star forever! The choice is yours, Diaz!"

"I'm only gonna say this once - LEAVE STAR OUT OF THIS! THIS IS OUR FIGHT, TOM!"

"Are you going to attack me or not? If you do, you'll be attacking Star!"

"YOU PUNK!"

"Attack me and you'll win this duel...but at what cost?"

Marco was at a crossroads. Usually, this would be a no-brainer. He would attack and end the duel now. But now that Star's in play and her future is on the line, Marco wasn't sure what to do.

"Alright, punk. I'll end my turn."

"Very well, it's back to me!" Tom said as he drew. "I'll use Shinato's Ark's greatest power - RESTORATION OF LIFE! Each monster in the Graveyard is a passenger aboard my Ark, giving it a total of 12. I choose to remove them all from play! And for each monster I remove, I gain 500 more Life Points, giving me a grand total of 6000 points!"

 **Tom: 6600**

"Next, I play DARK HOLE! This destroys all monsters on the field!"

A black hole then appeared on the ground, sucking every monster that was on the field inside. However, thanks to its special power, Marco's Different Dimension Dragon was spared. Star also returned to Marco's side.

"I think that's enough for now."

Marco got a mean look in his eyes as he drew, but there was nothing much he could do. "I'll just switch my Dragon to Defense Mode and end my turn."

"Good. My turn...but first, a little change of scenery." Tom said as he drew and used his demon powers to recreate Echo Creek. "As you know, the fall of the Ice Age paved the way for the rise of mankind. Eventually, cities grew and large corporations took control of our world," he explained.

"Hey! This is Echo Creek!" Marco exclaimed.

"Since this is your hometown, I thought maybe Star...WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT ONE MORE TIME BEFORE I TAKE HER BACK FOREVER! Now, I summon my GRADIUS in Attack Mode!"

No sooner than he placed the card on his Duel Disk, a large fighter jet flew to Tom's field.

"To increase my jet's power, I'll add the Spells CYCLON LASER and MATTER LEVELER! Cyclon Laser gives Gradius 300 more points, while Matter Leveler insures that Gradius is always 100 points higher than the Defense Points of any monster you put into play! And thanks to Cyclon Laser, you take damage even though your monster's in Defense Mode!" Tom explained. "Gradius, ATTACK HIS DRAGON WITH CYCLON BLAST!"

 **Marco: 800**

"Since your Dragon returns to the field when it's destroyed, I can keep attacking it! What was once your monster's strength is now your downfall! Your move!"

'I need a powerful monster now!' Marco thought as he drew his next card. Nothing. "I'll leave my Dragon in Defense Mode and end my turn."

Tom got a cocky grin on his face as he began his next turn. "That's the move of an Earth brat who's given up! I knew you were no match for me! I summon GRADIUS' OPTION! Since I control a Gradius, this card gives me another one! Now my jets, ATTACK HIS DRAGON!"

 **Marco: 600**

But Marco wasn't giving up! "It'll take more than a few attacks to keep me down! And it's my move now!" he said as he drew. 'Please let this be the card I need...' he thought. It was! It was Blue-Eyes! "I'll use the special ability of my Deck Master! So I just need to sacrifice my Different Dimension Dragon to summon...MY BLUE-EYES WHITE DRAGON!"

 **ATK: 3000**

 **DEF: 2500**

"Blue-Eyes! Destroy his Gradius now! WHITE LIGHTNING!"

Blue-Eyes launched a stream of lightning from its gaping mouth, destroying one of Tom's jets, which, in turn, automatically destroyed the other.

 **Tom: 5100**

"Don't celebrate yet! There's still my Deck Master - SHINATO'S ARK! And there are 5 monsters on board to increase my Life Points!"

"NO! That gives Tom 2500 more Life Points!" Star gasped.

 **Tom: 7600**

"I'll play a card face-down and end my turn."

"Now it's time I finish you off! My move!"

"HOLD IT, TOM!" Marco exclaimed. Then, he started laughing. "I have you right where I want you! It's time to find out which one of us is worthy of Star! There's one turn left! REVEAL TRAP! LAST TURN! Here's how it works - we each pick a monster on the field to keep. All other monsters go directly to the Graveyard. Then, the 2 chosen monsters face off in a 1 on 1 battle to the finish! The monster that survives this battle wins the duel! I choose my BLUE-EYES!"

"And I choose my Deck Master! SHINATO'S ARK!"

This is it. The entire duel comes down to this one battle.

"Time for me to sink your ship now! BLUE-EYES! END THIS DUEL!"

Blue-Eyes easily destroyed Tom's Ark, however...there was something hiding inside. It was a 10 foot tall blue-skinned, 6-winged angel.

"You just sealed your own doom, Marco! For when you destroyed Shinato's Ark, you released my true Deck Master - SHINATO, KING OF A HIGHER PLANE!"

 **ATK: 3300**

 **DEF: 3000**

Shinato then launched a beam from his palm, destroying Blue-Eyes. "And that's all for you, Diaz! Now to turn you into a permanent fixture in the Underworld!" Tom exclaimed as he used his demon powers to turn Marco into a statue.

* * *

"MARCO! NO!" Star feared. "What have you done to him?"

"I just turned him into a living statue, Star."

"You think this proves you're the best? All you've proven is that you're a weak little boy who has to cheat to get his way! Marco could've easily defeated you, Tom! Instead he chose my safety over his victory and that makes him a stronger person than you'll ever be! And as far as I'm concerned, you didn't win this duel! But I have a proposition for you..." Star started as she combined her deck with Marco's deck. "...Marco has 600 Life Points left. LET ME TAKE HIS PLACE SO WE CAN FINISH THIS DUEL FAIR AND SQUARE! Do you accept or are you afraid I'll defeat you, proving once and for all that you are weak?"

"Of course I accept, Starship! Once I win, you're all mine!"

"And if I win, you have to set Marco and I free!"

"With pleasure, Star! May the best duelist win! And when I do, you and Marco will be my prisoners forever!"

"YOU'RE ON!"

* * *

 **"** ** _DUEL!_** **"**

 **Tom: 7600**

 **Star: 600**

"You're starting this match with only 600 Life Points thanks to your friend, Marco Diaz! TAKING HIS PLACE WAS A MISTAKE!"

"You overpowered Marco using deceit and betrayal, Tom! Then you used your demon powers to turn him into stone! If you think that makes you a superior duelist, you're sadly mistaken!"

"Believe what you wish! But once I finish refreshing my deck with new cards, you'll meet the same fate as your friend! Just to be fair, I'll let you go first!"

"Very well...LET'S DUEL!" Star declared. "You think you can control Marco and I like pawns, but I'm about to end your game! Now I play...GAZELLE THE KING OF MYTHICAL BEASTS in Defense Mode to protect my Life Points!"

 **ATK: 1500**

 **DEF: 1200**

"It's my turn now! And I'm afraid you're not the only one capable of drawing a Monster Card, so prepare to lose your Gazelle!"

Tom drew his card, but grunted. It wasn't a Monster Card.

"Disappointed with your draw? I guess my Gazelle is staying put, isn't it?"

"You thought wrong because I can still crush it! SHINATO, ATTACK!"

On command, Shinato conjured a ring of mystic energy and launched it at Gazelle, destroying it.

 **Star: 300**

"What? My monster was in Defense Mode, which means...I shouldn't have lost any Life Points!"

"It seems my Deck Master's ability has caught you off-guard. When my Deck Master destroys a Defense Position monster, you lose half your Life Points! But it gets much worse from there. All of the Life Points you just lost get added to mine!"

 **Tom: 7900**

"You were foolish to think you could defeat me! And now you're about to pay the price!"

You think so, do you, Tom? It's Star's turn now!

"I'll summon this monster face-down in Defense Mode and end my turn!"

"Even your defensive monsters aren't safe! So you set them up and I'll keep knocking them down! My move!"

It was time for the demon prince to summon an entirely new breed of monster, one that lived in the Spirit Realm.

"I summon the Spirit Monster - YATA-GARASU in Attack Mode!"

 **ATK: 200**

 **DEF: 100**

"A Spirit Monster?"

"More on that later, but first to take down your defensive monster...SHINATO, ATTACK HER MONSTER NOW!"

This time...Tom's attack backfired.

"WHAT? But your monster's weaker!"

"My Celtic Guardian's special effect protects it from all monsters with 1900 points or more and yours has over 3000!"

Tom was frustrated. How can Star have found a monster that was able to repel his Deck Master's attacks?

"I can still play the Spell Card known as SPRING OF REBIRTH! Now, watch this!"

Yata-Garasu turned into a white ball and returned to its card, which then returned to Tom's hand.

"Now that Yata-Garasu is in my hand, Spring of Rebirth activates, raising my Life Points to over 8000!"

 **Tom: 8400**

"You broke the rules again! You can't just call a card back to your hand!"

In response to Star's accusations, Tom explained how a trip to the Mystical Orient in Egypt inspired Pegasus to create the game of Duel Monsters and base a series of cards around the Spirits - beings with otherworldly powers that can return to the owner's hand after each turn.

"It's my move now!"

Star had drawn one of Marco's monsters! Now that Tom moved his Deck Master to the field, he was wide open for an attack! If she could take down Shinato with Marco's monster, she'd win the duel!

"I'll place this monster in Defense Mode. MAKE YOUR MOVE, TOM!"

"Nothing would thrill me more! Now I summon my Asura, ANOTHER SPIRIT MONSTER!"

A 6-armed, blue-skinned monster soon appeared on Tom's field.

 **ATK: 1700**

 **DEF: 1200**

"Asura, ATTACK HER GUARDIAN WITH DAGGERS OF DEMISE!"

6 daggers appeared in the hands of Asura. The monster then threw the daggers at Star's Obnoxious Celtic Guardian and eliminated it from the field.

"You mentioned earlier that your Guardian is safe from monsters with 1900 Attack Points or more. Unfortunately, Asura has only 1700 points, so your monster's GONE! Now witness Asura's special ability...MULTIPLE ATTACK!"

"WHAT?!"

"Asura has the power to attack every monster you have on the same turn! ATTACK HER FACE-DOWN MONSTER!"

Asura threw its daggers at Star's face-down monster, unknowingly setting off her trap.

"Too bad, Starship! GAME OVER!"

"Yes, it is, Tom! Looks like you've fallen right into my trap by attacking one of Marco's favorite monsters..."

IT WAS A CYBER JAR!

"...CYBER JAR!"

"NO!"

"I'm afraid so! That means all monsters on the field are destroyed! And since you moved your Deck Master to the field, YOUR SHINATO IS DESTROYED AS WELL AND YOU LOSE THE DUEL!"

Cyber Jar's vacuum easily took down Asura, but Shinato wasn't going down without a fight.

"THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! I activate Shinato's 2nd ability! REVERSAL!"

Tom's Deck Master escaped the power of Cyber Jar and somehow returned to the sidelines!

* * *

"How were you able to escape the destructive powers of Cyber Jar?" Star questioned.

"It's quite simple, Star. Shinato has more than one power and before it was destroyed, that power was activated. Whenever Shinato would be destroyed, its Reversal power activates. This allows my Deck Master to leave the field and return to the sidelines. In exchange, I can't summon Shinato back to the field for the remainder of the duel," Tom explained.

"That means you can't use it to attack me again. Now, thanks to the 2nd effect of my Cyber Jar, we must each draw 5 cards. All monsters we pick must be summoned to the field. I summon 2 monsters - SANGAN and GAMMA THE MAGNET WARROR! Both in Defense Mode! Now you must summon every monster you've drawn, Tom!"

Tom looked at his hand after Cyber Jar resolved...All Spirit Monsters. Since Spirits can't be Special Summoned, he had nothing.

"Good. MY MOVE! So I'll sacrifice Gamma the Magnet Warrior and Sangan!" Star declared as both monsters vanished. "This activates Sangan's special ability, allowing me to add any monster with 1500 points or fewer into my hand! So I'll take BIG SHIELD GARDNA! And then, thanks to my sacrifice, I'll summon this...DARK MAGICIAN in Attack Mode!"

Just like the King of Games himself, the Dark Magician was Star's ace monster.

 **ATK: 2500**

 **DEF: 2100** **  
**

"Oh no! Not him!"

"You have nothing left to defend you! You know what that means, Tom! DARK MAGICIAN, ATTACK HIS LIFE POINTS DIRECTLY!"

 **Tom: 5900**

"Alright! 2500 points down, 5900 to go! I end my turn!"

Tom wasn't fazed, however. "Watch this! I play my NEXT WORLD Spell Card!"

A magic carpet then appeared on the field, projecting Star's Dark Magician.

"MY DARK MAGICIAN!"

"The Next World card chooses a monster on your field and allows me to summon one with the same level. So I'll choose this...YAMATA DRAGON!"

A large, multi-headed dragon soon materialized on Tom's field.

 **ATK: 2600**

 **DEF: 3100**

"Dragon, ATTACK HER DARK MAGICIAN! 8-HEADED FLAME ATTACK!"

Streams of fire soon engulfed Star's Magician, wiping it from the field.

"MY MAGICIAN!"

 **Star: 200**

"That's right! And another 100 points are added to me! Now, Spirit Monster! RETURN TO MY HAND! Whenever a monster returns to my hand, Spring of Rebirth activates, giving me another 500 points!"

 **Tom: 6500**

"Just 200 points stand between me and you, Starship! Soon, I'll have you back and you'll never see Marco again!"

"FAT CHANCE! I play SWORDS OF REVEALING LIGHT! This wall of swords will stop all of your attacks for 3 turns! Now I summon KURIBOH in Attack Mode!"

 **ATK: 300**

 **DEF: 200**

"Kuriboh, ATTACK TOM'S LIFE POINTS NOW!"

Kuriboh flew in and bit Tom on his right arm, causing him to shudder.

 **Tom: 6200**

"Insignificant puffball. Your dueling tactics are beneath me, Star! As soon as your Swords are gone, I'll be taking you back! Now on with the duel! I'll summon a monster in Defense Mode and end my turn!"

For Star's turn, she drew Dark Magician Girl. She'd need Marco's Deck Master to summon it without a Tribute, but Kaiser Sea Horse can only summon LIGHT monsters and Dark Magician Girl is a creature of Darkness.

"I'll summon BIG SHIELD GARDNA in Defense Mode!"

 **ATK: 100**

 **DEF: 2600**

"Then I switch Kuriboh to Defense Mode! That ends my turn! Make your move!"

"I will! I'll summon another monster face-down and play one card face-down to complete my turn! Now you've got one turn left before you're mine for good, Star!"

"And I'll be ready! I'll play a card face-down and end my turn!"

* * *

"It's time...FOR YOU TO COME BACK TO ME! I play my Trap Card - PYRO CLOCK OF DESTINY!"

Star's swords...GONE! But that's 1 turn early!

"My Trap Card causes time to move faster, freeing me from your Swords 1 turn sooner! Now I summon OTOHIME in Attack Mode! Her ability lets me switch one of your monsters from Defense to Attack Mode or vice-versa! And I choose your Kuriboh!"

"NO! If he's attacked, I'll lose!" Star gasped

"Next, I sacrifice my Otohime and my face-down monster to summon an old friend...YAMATA DRAGON! YAMATA DRAGON...ATTACK! Once your Kuriboh is destroyed, you lose!"

"NOT ON YOUR AFTERLIFE, TOM!"

Yamata Dragon easily destroyed Star's Kuriboh, leaving the field in a cloud of smoke, but Star was still standing.

* * *

"What's the matter...you look shocked."

"You should've lost the rest of your Life Points!"

"GUESS AGAIN, TOM!"

Tom scanned the field only to find...

"YOU ACTIVATED A TRAP CARD!" Tom pointed out.

"That's right! It's a powerful Trap called NUTRIENT Z! Since your attack was strong enough to wipe out 2000 of my Life Points, I was able to activate my Nutrient Z Trap Card to protect me! So I gained 4000 Life Points before your attack did any damage!"

 **Star: 200 - 4200 - 1900**

"You can't take me away from Marco that easily!"

Tom grunted. Star was tougher than he remembered. "Now my Deck Master's special ability activates, boosting my Life Points! Then I'll play my SEBEK'S BLESSING Spell! This increases my Life Points by the same number of points you just lost, giving me a grand total of 10800 Life Points! Now my Yamata Dragon returns to my hand, activating my Spring of Rebirth and putting me over 11,000 Life Points!"

 **Tom: 11300**

"My move! I summon ALPHA THE MAGNET WARRIOR in Attack Mode!"

 **ATK: 1400**

 **DEF: 1700**

"ATTACK TOM'S LIFE POINTS DIRECTLY!"

 **Tom: 9900**

"My turn's done."

"My move! I summon the Spirit Monster - INABA WHITE RABBIT!"

 **ATK: 700**

 **DEF: 500**

"This monster has the ability to hop over your defenses and go straight for your Life Points! WHITE RABBIT, ATTACK!"

The rabbit's eyes glowed red and his pogo rocket fired up, launching it at Star and hitting her back.

 **Star: 1200**

"WHITE RABBIT, RETURN! As you know, whenever a monster returns to my hand, my 2 Spell Cards give my Life Points a major boost! That ends my turn."

 **Tom: 11100**

"Back to me," Star said as she drew her card. "I play a card face-down on the field...then sacrifice my Magnet Warrior to summon DARK MAGICIAN GIRL in Attack Mode!"

 **ATK: 2000**

 **DEF: 1700**

"Since there's a Dark Magician in the Graveyard, she gains 300 more Attack Points now!"

 **Dark Magician Girl ATK: 2300**

"Dark Magician Girl...ATTACK!"

 **Tom: 8800**

"I have to end my turn now."

Back to Tom. He drew his card and brought back a monster Star might recognize.

"You remember my White Rabbit, don't you?"

"I do. And I'm glad to see him again!"

Tom gasped. Did he just trigger a Trap?

"His arrival has triggered my Trap Card! DARK RENEWAL! Once you summon a monster, Dark Renewal allows me to bring a Spellcaster back to my field! But first, I must sacrifice one of your creatures and one of mine! So say goodbye to your Inaba White Rabbit!"

No sooner than Tom summoned his rabbit, it was gone!

"NO!"

"Then I'll sacrifice BIG SHIELD GARDNA! Now I can bring back a monster you destroyed earlier in our duel...DARK MAGICIAN! Now I have the power of 2 Dark Magicians on my side of the field, Tom! And it looks to me like you have no monsters left!"

Tom growled. He had nothing left to defend him from an impending Dark Magic assault. There was only one play he could make.

"I'll play a card face-down and end my turn for now."

"You have nothing to defend you! So your Life Points are wide open! And it's about time I turned this duel around! So stand back, Tom!"

Star's next card...MAGICIAN OF BLACK CHAOS! Just what she needed!

"Prepare to release Marco from your twisted game...for I activate DARK MAGIC RITUAL! This Spell allows me to summon a Dark Magical creature once I make a sacrifice! So I'll sacrifice this monster - my all-powerful VALKYRION THE MAGNA WARRIOR! Valkyrion...BE GONE! Now I can summon my 3rd Magician...THE MAGICIAN OF BLACK CHAOS!"

Valkyrion vanished and in its place came a magician in purple and blue joker-like clothing wielding a mystic staff.

"OH NO!"

"Oh yes! This monster completes my trio of magical beasts that will combine forces to take you down! When added together, Dark Magician...Dark Magician Girl...and Magician of Black Chaos have over 7000 Attack Points! Almost enough to wipe you out!"

The magicians then hooked their wands together and prepared to attack.

"Tom, this one's for Marco! COMBINE FORCES, MY MAGICIANS...AND STRIKE HIS LIFE POINTS DIRECTLY!"

* * *

"Nice try...ACTIVATE TRAP! You've just triggered my CHAOS BARRIER FIELD!"

No way! Tom just stopped Star's Triple Dark Magic Attack!

"Your big plan to defeat me just backfired! Now my Trap Card pits your strongest and weakest monsters against each other!" Tom explained as Dark Magician Girl warped to his field and took the hit from Magician of Black Chaos.

 **Star: 400**

 **Tom: 9600**

"My move! I'll set 2 cards face-down then play a monster in Defense Mode. Your move, Starship!"

"DON'T...CALL...ME...THAT!"

Star was furious! Tom just made the biggest mistake of his afterlife! Never make Star angry! It was her move.

"DRAW!"

"I play the Trap Card - GROUNDBREAKING! This returns my White Rabbit back to my hand!"

"But not for long! GO, CARD DESTRUCTION! This forces us to discard our entire hand and draw 5 new cards!"

Star had just saved herself from a game-ending direct attack from Tom's Rabbit! Now with a fresh hand, Star could turn things around!

"Magician of Black Chaos, destroy his face-down monster!"

On Star's orders, Magician of Black Chaos launched a beam from his wand, destroying Tom's monster, only to reveal an Otohime and triggering its special effect, switching Dark Magician into Defense Mode.

"Looks like you won't be attacking any more this turn! But since you destroyed my Otohime, I can play my VESSEL OF ILLUSIONS Trap! This brings back my Otohime! My move! I play CHANGE OF HEART! This lets me take control of your Dark Magician! Now I'll sacrifice him with Otohime to summon to most powerful Spirit in Duel Monsters...HINO-KAGU-TSUCHI!"

Both monsters vanished into a black hole and out from that hole, a 10 foot tall muscular spirit appeared. This was Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi, the strongest Spirit Monster in existence.

 **ATK: 2800**

 **DEF: 2900**

"I'll add the Spell Card - FLAMING FIST! This gives my Spirit an additional 200 points for 1 turn! Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi, DESTROY HER MAGICIAN OF BLACK CHAOS!"

And with a single punch, Magician of Black Chaos disintegrated. The flame then hit Star, knocking her to the ground. But she returned to her feet, still willing to fight on to save Marco.

 **Star: 200**

"Thanks to my Deck Master's ability, another 700 points are added to my score!"

 **Tom: 10300**

"I'll end by playing Spiritual Energy Settle Machine! This lets me keep Spirit Monsters in play so long as I discard a card in my hand!" Tom explained. "Your move, Star!"

"I will save Marco! Just watch me! I won't stop until you are defeated, Tom! Now I play...CARD OF SANCTITY! This forces us to draw from our decks until we each hold 6 cards!" Star shouted as they both resolved the effect. Afterwards, Star looked at her hand and saw she had just what she needed to win. "I feel sorry for you. Thanks to Marco's support, I'm about to defeat you and that is something you'll never understand. I play MONSTER REBORN! It can revive any monster you sent to the Graveyard, including Marco's BLUE-EYES WHITE DRAGON!"

"It can't be!"

"Oh yes it can! This duel started as you against Marco and you destroyed his Blue-Eyes White Dragon, so I was able to bring it back! Now I play POLYMERIZATION! This lets me fuse my Blue-Eyes on the field with the 2 other Blue-Eyes cards in my hand!"

Tom stared as what would become the instrument of his destruction appeared on the field.

"Behold the power of my BLUE-EYES ULTIMATE DRAGON! The strongest monster in Marco's deck!"

 **ATK: 4500**

 **DEF: 3800**

"I'm afraid there's more! Next I'll activate my QUICK-ATTACK Spell Card! This lets my Dragon attack RIGHT NOW!"

Star's new dragon launched a combined lightning attack at Tom's spirit, destroying it.

"HINO-KAGU-TSUCHI IS FINISHED!"

 **Tom: 8600**

"It's not over yet, Star!"

Oh, how wrong you are, Tom!

"You're wrong, Tom! Thanks to the next Spell in my hand...DE-FUSION!"

Tom gasped. He knew he was about to lose on this turn.

"This separates my beast back into 3 separate dragons, each with 3000 Attack Points!"

"WAIT! There's gotta be something I can do!" Tom cowered.

"You've been exposed as the fraud you truly are," Star began. "For Marco...BLUE-EYES WHITE DRAGONS...ATTACK! WIPE HIM OUT!"

 **Combined ATK: 9000**

The trio of dragons launched streams of lightning from their gaping mouths, each landing a direct hit at Tom and leaving him in a cloud of smoke, signifying his defeat.

 **Tom: 0**

 **Star: WIN!**

"That's impossible! I CAN'T LOSE!"

"I'm afraid you just did! So Marco is free!"

Once the smoke cleared, Tom fell to his knees and Marco was free of his imprisonment. Star hugged Marco, relieved that he was fine. Then, Star and Marco shared their first kiss.

* * *

With the duel ending in Marco (and Star)'s victory, Tom had to hold up his end of the bargain and take Star and Marco home.

"Star, you didn't have to change your look. But I'm glad you came all that way to find me," Marco told Star. "Now, I believe you have something to confess, Tom."

"I do. Star, I used Mr. Candle to try to get back together with you. It took you and Marco defeating me in Duel Monsters to realize I was wrong. All I wanted was to get you back, but I never stopped to consider what you wanted," Tom confessed. "I'm sorry."

Tom tried to apologize, but Star just punched him in the chest. "YOU TRICKED ME!" she scolded. "But it doesn't even matter...I'm still gonna be queen."

"That doesn't have to be such a bad thing, Star. You're gonna run Mewni how you want, no matter how destructive," Marco told his (hopefully) future queen before she conjured a Warnicorn and hugged him.

"Point, Marco," the demon pedicab carrier said. "Guess I should be going. By the way...I like the hair," Tom complimented Star as he made his exit.

"So...you guys are cool now?" Star asked.

"I guess so," Marco confirmed.

"Is he still dark and broody?"

"Totally. But he's not so bad."

* * *

 **So how do you like that? An alternate ending to my first 'Star' work! Points if you can figure out what my inspiration for the duel scene was.**


End file.
